Ice-cutting apparatus.



F. B. CLARK. 10E CUTTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR 19, 1910.

Patentgd Feb. 6, 1912.

//YVE/Y7'0/? W mm ATTO/WVEKS' mw M"QZA "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. FREDERICK IB. CLARK, 0F PHILADELPHIA, IENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SARAH ANNIE WESTON, 0F ARDEN, NORTH CAROLINA.

ICE-CUTTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK B. CLARK, a citizen of theUnited States of America, and residing in the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ice-Cutting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ice cutting apparatus and particularly to ice cutters fitted with heated cutting blades, the object of my invention being to improve the same in the particulars hereinafter pointed out.

In ice cutting apparatus of the character to which the present invention relates and which is typified by the well known Remington cutters, the ice is severed by blades fitted with steam heated tubular edges which melt their way through the ice cake. As heretofore constructed these blades have been formed of a sheet metal body with channeled edge in which a steam tube is soldered. Constant difficulty has been experienced in operating with these cutters, by reason of the tubes working loose from the backing plates and the cutters have consequently to be laid 01f at frequent intervals for repairs due to this defect.

I have found that by employing a backing plate of a metal having the same COBfllCiGIlt-Of expansion as the metal of the heated tubing, this difiiculty is practically eliminated, since the separation of the tubing from the backing plate is due in large part, in the usual construction, to the different relative expansions thereof under the influence of the heat of the steam employed during operation. Still further improvement is eifected if the tubing is supplied with means whereby it may be secured to the backing plate by rivets or the like.

In the accompanying drawings in which my invention is illustrated in several forms, Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of a cutting tube mounted on a backing plate; Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof; Figs. 3 and 4c are similar views respectively of a modified construction; Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of a further modification.

The cutting or melting tube A is generally made of copper. I therefore now propose to use a backing plate B of copper or brass or a suitable alloy thereof, or any other suitable metal, the coefficient of expansion of which is substantially the same as that of copper. As above explained this prevents the separation of the tube from the backing plate due to inequality in the expansion and contraction to which they are unavoidably alternately subjected during operation. Obviously this phase of my invention is applicable to heating the edges of other than tubular form and the means of heating the same may be of any suitable character. In addition to this novel feature of construction I now propose to secure the tube A mechanically to the backing plate B by a fin C formed longitudinally on the up per portion of the tube in any suitable mannor, as for instance as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The channeled edge of the backing plate is provided with a corresponding central slot into which the fin is inserted. Any suitable means may be employed for securing the fin and plate together, as for instance rivets D.

Instead of forming the fin as shown in Fig. 2 a tube E of larger initial diameter may be employed, and the fin formed by pressing the sides of part of the tube t0- gether as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:.

In Fig. 5 the fin is formed from a sheet of metal F, the opposite edges of which are pressed together leaving the central portion in tube form. The edges are clamped together and to the backing plate B the channeled edge of the latter being offset on one side, by the longitudinal strip G through which pass the screw bolts H.

Other methods of forming the fin will readily suggest themselves and I do not limit myself to the details shown, but claim as my invention:

1. A steam tube for an ice cutter of the type described having a longitudinal securing fin, in combination with a backing plate grooved on one edge to receive said tube and recessed to receive said securing fin, and means for securing said fin to the backing plate.

2. A cutting blade of an ice cutter of the type described, having a cutting tube and a longitudinal securing fin therefor, in combination with a backing plate recessed to receive said fin and means in combination with said fin for uniting said tube and backing plate together.

3. A steam tube for an ice cutter of the name to this specification, in the presence of type described, having a longitudinal securtW subscribing Witnesses. in fin in combination with a backing plate I and seburing means passing through said FREDERICK CLARK 5 fin and backing plate to hold said tube in Witnesses:

p0siti0n. CARRIE REDEKER, In testimony whereof I have signed my HARRY REDEKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressin g the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

